The issue draws together evidence from ten countries to reflect on the varied drivers and forms of self-organised housing in a variety of global contexts. It finds that, contrary to popular belief, the Global Financial Crisis alone is not a satisfactory explanation for the resurgence of these forms of housing provision. Social origins and contextual drivers are often deeper, more enduring, and vary between national contexts. In addition, the term ‘collaborative housing’ is now gaining ground as a generic descriptor – shifting the focus from self-organisation, to partnerships with varying degrees of community leadership and benefit.